GoodNotes vs Pen Journal

Struggling to choose between GoodNotes and Pen Journal? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

GoodNotes is a Education & Reference solution with tags like handwriting, notes, annotation, sketching.

It boasts features such as Handwriting and drawing with Apple Pencil, Annotate PDFs and documents, Create and organize notes into notebooks, Variety of pen styles and colors, Shape recognition, Zoom writing, Search handwritten notes and pros including Natural writing and drawing experience, Powerful organization with notebooks, Ability to search handwritten notes, Integrates well with other Apple products and services.

On the other hand, Pen Journal is a Office & Productivity product tagged with journal, writing, notes, pen, minimalist, private.

Its standout features include Freeform writing with pen and paper styled vectors, Distraction-free interface for private journaling, Minimalist design, Cloud-sync and backup, Export journal entries as PDF or image files, and it shines with pros like Simple and focused interface, Aesthetically pleasing pen and paper style, Supports private journaling, Ability to export entries.

Feature	GoodNotes	Pen Journal
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Education & Reference	Office & Productivity

Product Overview

GoodNotes

Description: GoodNotes is a digital handwriting and note-taking app for iPad and iPhone. It allows you to take notes, annotate PDFs, sketch ideas, and organize notes into notebooks using the Apple Pencil or your finger. GoodNotes is intuitive, flexible, and great for students and professionals.

Pen Journal

Description: Pen Journal is a minimalist journaling app that focuses on freeform writing with pen and paper styled vectors. It provides a simple, distraction-free interface for journaling privately on your device.

Key Features Comparison

GoodNotes Features

• Handwriting and drawing with Apple Pencil
• Annotate PDFs and documents
• Create and organize notes into notebooks
• Variety of pen styles and colors
• Shape recognition
• Zoom writing
• Search handwritten notes

Pen Journal Features

• Freeform writing with pen and paper styled vectors
• Distraction-free interface for private journaling
• Minimalist design
• Cloud-sync and backup
• Export journal entries as PDF or image files

Pros & Cons Analysis

GoodNotes

Pros

• Natural writing and drawing experience
• Powerful organization with notebooks
• Ability to search handwritten notes
• Integrates well with other Apple products and services

Cons

• No web or Windows version
• Less templates compared to competitors
• Can be pricey compared to free alternatives

Pen Journal

Pros

• Simple and focused interface
• Aesthetically pleasing pen and paper style
• Supports private journaling
• Ability to export entries

Cons

• Limited customization options
• No collaboration or sharing features
• Lack of advanced formatting or organization tools

Pricing Comparison

GoodNotes

• One-time Purchase

Pen Journal

• Free
• Subscription-Based